A balanced life is a beautifully messy constant work-in-progress

Finally back from traveling again, and now I get to be home for a few weeks straight. Hooray! I was in Fort Lauderdale for the past few days for work, and I used a LOT of hairspray to make sure my hair cooperated despite the humidity. It worked until the last day when the humidity finally won out, so I’ll call that a win. I wanted to do a deep clean on my hair to get all that product out, so I used my Biolage CleanReset Normalizing Shampoo from Matrix. After that, my hair needed some moisture, so I decided to play with some mud. 🙂

Mineral Mud

from Saphira

This hair treatment has 26 different active Dead Sea minerals plus Keratin, Vitamin E, and Macadamia Oil to repair, moisturize, and nourish your hair. I’m not a fan of fragrance when it comes to makeup and skincare products, but I tend to like it in haircare products. This product smells absolutely lovely; it reminds me of when you get candles or air fresheners that have a sea breeze-esque scent, and it’s not overbearing. It has a very creamy texture to it and is easy to disperse through wet hair. You just leave it on for 4-5 minutes and then rinse. I put it on and then just finish showering, so I don’t exactly time it. I don’t color my hair, but it’s safe for daily use for all hair types, including color treated hair. According to the Saphira website, they’ve gotten feedback from customers that Mineral Mud even had healing results on skin issues like eczema and psoriasis. Who knew?

I originally got this as a free sample from the salon where I get waxed, but I definitely plan to purchase some when I run out. It leaves my hair feeling so smooth and healthy; I would definitely recommend it if your tresses need some extra love!

What are some of your favorite hair treatments?

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I’m going to be traveling again this week, this time it’s for work instead of personal reasons, but I’m still looking forward to it. I’ve never been to Fort Lauderdale before, even though I’ve been living in Florida for almost 7 years now. It seemed appropriate that I should give my feet some TLC, since I’ll probably be wearing sandals at some point, and Spring is pretty much here anyway.

The Prep Work

Prepping my feet started out last night with removing my old nail polish, clipping, shaping, etc. Then came the fun part…exfoliating!

Pedi Perfect Electronic Foot File, Extra Coarse

from Amopé

Using this device beats the heck out of manually filing your heels; I certainly have no patience for that! It’s powered by 4 AA batteries and gets the job done with little effort. The ergonomic design is very comfortable, and the file pops right out to make cleaning a breeze. Extra coarse file refills are $19.99 for a 2-pack; as of today, they’re on sale for $16.04. I’ve used this device maybe 10 times since I bought it, and I haven’t had to replace the file yet. It’s important to note that you should only use this device on dry skin. If you want the option of wet or dry, try this device, instead.

Foot Works Double Action Deep Moisturizing Cream

from Avon

After exfoliating, it was time to moisturize. Admittedly, I’m not great about foot care, and I don’t moisturize as often as I should, so I’ve had this foot cream for a while. It seems that this exact one has been discontinued and replaced with Avon Foot Works Deep Moisturizing Cream. It usually retails for $6 for 2.5 fl. oz.; at the moment, it’s on sale for $3.99. The cocoa seed butter provides intense moisture and healing for your skin, while the peppermint oil provides a cooling sensation and a fresh scent. I slathered this on my feet and put on some comfy fuzzy socks before heading to bed.

The Nails

Ultimate Shield Base & Top Coat

from Sally Hansen

Every good manicure or pedicure needs to start with a good base coat if you want it to have any chance of lasting. This is my favorite, partly because it works so well and partly because I love any multi-purpose beauty product. I like not having to buy a separate top coat. One thin coat of this helps protect my nail and extends the life of my polish.

“Booze Cruise” Nail Polish

from Trust Fund Beauty

Now comes the fun part–color! Trust Fund Beauty is one of my favorite nail polish brands because it lasts well and you get a good amount of product for the price. Depending on the color intensity I’m going for, 1-2 coats is plenty. I’ve never had to do more than that. “Booze Cruise” has an incredibly subtle shimmer to it and “Spring” is written all over it. It seemed appropriate for traveling to a beach town like Fort Lauderdale. I doubt I’ll have time for the beach while I’m there, but we’ll see! Then again, with Spring Break going on, avoiding the beach might be best…

I bought this particular color last July, and it seems to have been discontinued. Looking at their website, it seems the next most similar color to this would be “Emotional Hangover,” which you can purchase here. All of their full-size nail polishes are .57 fl. oz. and retail for $12-15.

I finished it off with a top coat of Ultimate Shield, let it dry, and I’m good to go!

What are some of your favorite nail polish colors for Spring? How often do you get pedicures? Do you get them done professionally, or do you DIY it like I do?

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After being out of town the past couple of weekends, the name of the game this weekend was getting back into a regular routine. The biggest focus was meal prepping (we’re making an eggplant parmesan from scratch that I’m super stoked about) and cleaning our condo. I wanted to focus on deep cleaning my skin, too. It’s finally starting to clear up, and I’d like to stay on that trajectory.

Self Heating One Minute Mask With Natural Charcoal

After using my ExfoliKate, I wanted to heat things up a little more, so I popped on this mask for a minute. The warming sensation felt so good, and when I rinsed it off, there was a refreshing cooling sensation, thanks to the menthol that’s in it. Yes, it has fragrance in it (sigh), but I noticed the menthol more than anything else. I loved how clean and fresh my skin felt afterwards. After a day of cooking and cleaning, it’s exactly what I needed!

You can find a box of 4 single-use packets for as low as $5.82 on Amazon, or you can find it at your local drugstore for a little more (usually around $7.99.) This is a skincare item I always like to have on hand for whenever my skin needs it.

What do you think of self-heating skincare products? Are you a bigger fan of products with a cooling sensation? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Another month, another Glam Bag! I was a lot happier with this bag than last month’s. The dusty pink with the black lace is super cute, and I got products I liked better. Wanna see what I got? Check ’em out!

Electra Baked Highlighter

from Luna by Luna

This baked highlighter is absolutely gorgeous. The color is really flattering, and it’s not super glittery. I like that it can be a subtle shimmer for every day use, or I can build it up for a more dramatic evening look. It applies beautifully and stays throughout the day. Highlighter is one of my favorite parts of my makeup routine, and this one is a fabulous addition to my collection!

My rating: 5/5

Beach Crystals Palette

from Pacifica Beauty

left to right: Faceted, Spaced Out, Prism, Raw Power, and Mars

This mini palette is a sample of their Crystal Matrix palette, which contains a total of 10 shades. I’d never tried this brand before, but so far I’m pretty impressed with their eyeshadows. They’re 100% vegan and cruelty free, the pigmentation is gorgeous, I didn’t experience any fallout, and they blend really nicely (the coconut water infusion probably helps with that). The full-size palette runs for $18, so it’s a very reasonable price point. I’d definitely be curious to try more of their eyeshadows; the only reason I didn’t give it 5/5 is because I’m going through more of a matte eyeshadow phase right now, especially for work.

My rating: 4/5

Perfecting Primer Facial Mask

from Biobelle

I gave this an honest shot, but I’ll admit I went into it pretty skeptical. Sheet masks aren’t my favorite because they feel like more work than clay or peel masks and because they’re kind of pricey. I may not have followed the instructions 100% as intended because I did my normal morning skincare routine, waited about an hour, and then applied the mask. When I took the mask out, it smelled good without being overpowering, but I would have preferred the smell of tea tree oil, since it’s listed as an ingredient. I thought the hearts on the sides were super cute, but it’s still not something I would be inclined to purchase myself. It left my skin feeling nice and refreshed, which is why I gave it a 2 instead of a 1, but it didn’t do much to help my makeup last or to control the oil in my T-Zone. For $5 a-piece, I’ll stick with my Laura Geller Spackle primer that has SPF 30 in it (although when that runs out, I’ll be switching over to NARS Cosmetics Smooth & Protect Primer with SPF 50.)

from IT Cosmetics

I love IT Cosmetics; they make some really great products that make my skin look flawless–this isn’t one of them. First off, yes, this stuff is waterproof and full coverage, but it’s so ridiculously thick that it’s difficult to blend. I would equate the consistency to wet house paint, and it seemed like the way to “blend” it was to let my beauty sponge take a good bit of it off of my face. I also didn’t find the “no creasing” claim to be true–it settled into the little creases under my eyes even after setting it with powder. I remembered after the first time I tried it out that my sister-in-law had warned me about how thick it is when we were at Ulta together a couple of weeks ago. She loves IT Cosmetics, too, but she’s not a fan of this, either. The ingredient list includes several things that are great for your skin: peptides, antioxidants, collagen, hyaluronic acid, etc., but I’ll stick with my Tarte Shape Tape, thanks.

My rating: 1/5

Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in “ipsy Unzipped”

from OFRA Cosmetics

As I’ve mentioned before, I prefer liquid lipstick over traditional, and I like it matte. Sometimes it can be hard to find a good formula, and even when you do, you can’t always find that perfect shade that you’re looking for. I’m definitely adding this OFRA formula to the “winner” list. It’s comfortable, doesn’t dry out my lips, and lasts all day; this color that was created for ipsy is perfect for daytime wear. Since the color is an ipsy exclusive, you can’t buy it anywhere, but OFRA has so many to choose from on its website! It runs $20 for 6g of product, so pretty comparable to the price points of Tarte, Too Faced, Anastasia Beverly Hills, etc. I wish OFRA was sold in brick and mortar stores; some reviews on the website say that the colors shown are not true to life, so I wish I could test them out myself. I think I’ll be seeing more OFRA liquid lipsticks in my future…

My rating: 5/5

This month’s Glam Bag had an average rating of 3.4, which is an improvement over last month. I did notice, though, that there weren’t any products that I was indifferent about; I either loved them or I hated them, for better or worse. I also enjoyed the fact that the highlighter, the lipstick, and the cool shades of the Pacifica palette all worked well together to form a cohesive look.

Are you a member of a subscription service? What fun things did you receive this month? Leave a comment to let me know!

Spoiler Alert: this post has absolutely nothing to do with beauty or skincare products. This Spoil Me Sunday is special because it’s my husband’s and my first wedding anniversary. After booking our (belated) honeymoon in Ireland, watching one of my best friends marry the man of her dreams last weekend, and spending a long weekend with mine, I’m brimming with love, happiness, and excitement. Frank Sinatra’s version of “Fly Me to the Moon” was our first dance at our wedding reception; it’s been stuck in my head most of the day, and it always puts a big smile on my face. I didn’t need to do any special beauty regimen this weekend because as Audrey Hepburn once said, “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls,” and our mini getaway this weekend made me really happy.

Friday

I’ll start this off with saying that as my anniversary gift, Jeff planned this entire weekend without any assistance from me, and as a bonus he did the driving. Perfect! We kicked off our long anniversary weekend with lunch at Fogo de Chão (thanks for the gift card, Aunt Cathy & Uncle Jodie!) It was delicious, as always, and met my meat quota for like a week haha.

After lunch, we drove down to St. Petersburg and checked into the Cordova Inn, which is an adorable boutique hotel originally built in 1921. The location in downtown St. Petersburg was perfect: it was within walking distance of countless restaurants, shops, museums, and points of interest. I’d definitely recommend staying here, and it has a pretty interesting history, if you want to check it out on their website.

All the museums and such in St. Pete seem to close at 5, so there wasn’t a whole lot for us to do once we got settled in, but we walked around to scope things out, grabbed a small bite to eat, and came across a taproom that was right next to our hotel, called Pour Taproom. They started in Asheville, NC, and they’ve expanded to a handful of locations on the east coast and one in California. The setup is really cool: when you open your tab, you get a rubber wristband that has some sort of electronic component to it (I assume RFID). They have 85 different beers, ciders, & wines to choose from, and you just tap your wristband on the screen of the beverage you want to try, serve yourself as much or as little as you want, and you get charged by the ounce. At the end, you just turn in your wristband to close you your tab. It’s a great way to sample several different beverages without having to commit to a whole drink and rack up an enormous tab. It’s definitely beer-centered, but maybe the cider and wine selections will grow eventually (I hope!) Jeff was totally stoked that he could drink Belgians for around $.75/oz. We drank outside so that Jeff could vape, but I noticed they had all kinds of board games and card games you could play inside.

Saturday

We slept in a bit, took our time getting ready, and made our way over to the Iberian Rooster for brunch. We had picked up one of those tourist maps in our hotel lobby, and Iberian Rooster had an ad boasting bottomless mimosas and brunch Saturday and Sunday until 3pm–we were sold! We got even more excited when we arrived and discovered that there were 10 different flavors of mimosas to choose from: classic, Bellini, Creme de Peche, Batida de Coco, Frambois, Creme de Mure (my favorite), Pamplemousse Rose, Cedilla Açai (my second favorite), Tipplers Orange, and Banane du Brasil. It’s a family-owned Portuguese Fusion restaurant and speakeasy near the Central Arts District. Everything we tried was delicious, and considering we didn’t even get to try their lunch or late-night menus, we definitely plan on going back next time we’re in St. Pete. PS: If you go for brunch, don’t skip on the cheese grits–they’re fantastic!

After brunch, we made our way over to the Morean Arts Center’s Glass Studio & Hot Shop. We arrived just in time to watch a glass-blowing demonstration, which was absolutely mesmerizing. Seeing the demonstration before going to the Chihuly exhibit helps you further appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship required to make these glass masterpieces. The Chihuly Collection was just a short walk away, and it certainly didn’t disappoint! The variety of colors and textures, as well as just the sheer magnitude of some of the pieces was absolutely breathtaking. I found it interesting that the building was designed specifically for this collection, so the architecture and the art work very harmoniously together. This collection is definitely an experience you don’t want to miss when visiting St. Pete.

After leaving the gallery, we walked over to South Straub Park to check out the 5th annual St. Petersburg Fine Art Festival that happened to be going on this weekend. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it over there until around 4:30, and they closed at 5. So we headed back to the hotel to get ready for our evening plans: dinner at Sushi, Inc. (I was craving seaweed salad!) and a show at the Palladium Theatre. We enjoyed one of the performances of the 10th annual St. Petersburg Jazz Festival, featuring the Helios Jazz Orchestra and vocals by Whitney James & Chuck Wansley. The music selection had a Big Band vibe, which Jeff and I both really enjoyed.

We finished off the evening with some rolled ice cream from Dot Ice and another stop at Pour. I had seen rolled ice cream online before, but I’d never had an opportunity to try it. I got the “S’mores Galore” flavor, so they started out by chopping up a graham cracker on the flat pan, which is kept at -17°F. Then they pour sweet cream on the pan, mix it all together, and spread it very neatly and evenly until it freezes to the point where they can roll it up and put it in a cup. My anal retentive soul found it very gratifying to watch. 🙂

Sunday

After checking out of the hotel, we went to a 24/7 diner next door to Pour, called 2nd & Second. Oh my goodness, they had so many things we wanted to try, but I went with a “Grilled Cheese Your Way” (sourdough, cheddar, tomatoes, grilled onions, and mushrooms.) This is yet another place we plan on going back to next time we’re in town because there were just too many choices!

After fending off the hangriness, we finally made our way over to the Salvador Dalí Museum. We had to rush through a little more than we would have liked because we needed to start heading home, but we enjoyed what we did see, both the exhibits and the gardens.

Now it’s back to real life: meal prepping, laundry, preparing for work tomorrow, etc. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the past year, though, it’s that if you choose the right partner, even “real life” is pretty great. I might be a little biased, but I think I married the most wonderful man in the world, and you’d have a hard time convincing me otherwise.

St. Petersburg might only be 2 hours away from home, but since we both left our work cell phones at home, we got to disconnect from our everyday life for a couple of days and explore a new place together. I’m looking forward to the next 70+ years of exploring this big world hand in hand.

I hope you had a great weekend, too! Have you ever been to St. Petersburg? What looks the most interesting to you?

Ok, so this week’s Spoil Me Sunday actually happened on Saturday because one of my best friends is getting married on Sunday. Since it’s in preparation for Sunday, I think it still counts. 🙂 Between sleep deprivation, traveling, and hormones, my skin is NOT happy, and in anticipation of all the photos that will be taken this weekend, I attempted to appease it…

Blaq Mask Tube

from Blaq

I brought this mask from home, just in case. I got it as a sample in my ipsy bag a few months ago, and I always love a good peel mask. Removing them is so gratifying, and the fact that this one has bamboo charcoal as an active ingredient makes it even better! The Blaq Mask has a bit thinner consistency than your typical gel peel mask, and it dries down completely (no stickiness). I just tend to use it on my nose area, and I can totally feel a difference afterwards: my nose feels smoother and so clean! The ingredients say it has fragrance in it, but I hardly notice it, which I’m not complaining about at all. If you have sensitive skin, you should definitely do a patch test before applying to your entire T-Zone. I might buy the full size at some point, but I have some other masks to test first.

Polishing Charcoal + Black Sugar Gel Mask + Scrub

from Freeman Beauty

The wedding this weekend is in Austin, so in my hurry to pack Wednesday night before flying out Thursday, I forgot a few things, including my lip primer and my lip liner for the wedding. This meant a trip to Ulta yesterday to get replacements. While I was there, I decided to pick up some kind of clarifying mask to fight this breakout on my cheeks and jawline. I came across this one, and it looked interesting. You apply it to damp skin, let it sit for 5-7 minutes, then scrub and rinse. It’s suitable for all skin types, and while it also has fragrance listed in the ingredients, it’s very subtle like the last one. My skin felt so clean and exfoliated afterwards! It also didn’t dry out my skin, which is always a risk on my cheeks. Since that’s where I’m breaking out, I was grateful for the moisturizing factor. I have a ridiculous number of masks to get through at this point, but I’d consider buying the full size of this later on down the road.

The next morning, my skin looked clearer and felt so much smoother. The blemishes are still healing, but they’re at least flat now, so my foundation can cover them. This “Best Woman” is ready for photos!

What are some of your can’t-live-without items that you pack when traveling? How do you keep your skin happy when you’re on the go?

Everyone that uses makeup and beauty products has their favorite brushes, sponges, etc. I’ve got some other tools I can’t live without, and what’s even better is that each one costs less than $15! Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. These are a few of my favorite things. Check ’em out…

OFRA Pro Mixing Palette

from OFRA Cosmetics

This little guy is handy on multiple levels. First of all, it’s perfect for mixing liquid products (as the name suggests), whether that’s mixing colors, or adding liquid highlighter drops. Secondly, I like the fact that it means I don’t have to put product on the back of my hand to pick it up with my brush. I waste less product, and it means less mess. It’s a little under 4″ across at the widest point, but it’s still big enough for me to put my POREfessional Face Primer, my foundation, and my liquid under-eye concealer on the palette all at once without having to clean it off in between. Afterwards, I’ll just wipe it off with a clean washcloth, and about once a week I’ll clean it with rubbing alcohol. You can also purchase it as a set with the OFRA Pro Flat Mixing Spatula for $19 (otherwise they’re each $10), but I just bought the palette because I already had…

Multicolored Depotting Spatula

from Z Palette

This spatula is great because of the fact that it’s dual-ended. The pointier end is perfect for removing pans from their palettes during the depotting process. The flat end is perfect for mixing liquids, creams, loose powders, or glitters. It’s also great for smoothing out a shattered palette when you’re bringing it back to life. The flat end looks identical to the OFRA spatula, but you get the bonus pointy end, too. From end to end, it measures 6.813″, so it’s a comfortable length. You can get it in black, as well, but I liked the multicolored one, and it’s harder to lose amongst my other black, pink, and silver brushes and tools.

Mascara & Shadow Shield

from e.l.f. Cosmetics

The end of shadow fallout and mascara smudges is here! The silicone shield is very flexible to conform to the contours of your eye area. I had to cut mine down at the inner corner because it was extending upwards past the corner of my eye. I just held it up to my eye, carefully marked it with a fine-tipped Sharpie, and then it was super easy to cut. The handle is 4.75″ long, and I’ll usually clean the whole thing with rubbing alcohol. I’ll especially focus on the silicone part to get off any remaining eyeshadow particles (I don’t use mascara 99.999% of the time.)

Skin Clearing Tool

from Ulta Beauty

I used to have a different kind of tool meant for the same purpose, but it was too short (3.313″ end to end), and the holes were too small to be very useful (about .094″ and .063″). This one, on the other hand, is great. From end to end, it measures 5.875″, so there’s plenty of gripping space to use it comfortably. The smaller end has a diameter of about .094″, and the larger end has a diameter of about .125″. The larger holes make the tool more effective and easier to clean.

The larger end (for whiteheads) has a diameter of about .125″, so it’s great for extracting larger blemishes to make sure you’re getting everything out.The smaller end (for blackheads) has a diameter of about .094″, which makes it easier to use it on smaller contours, like the sides of your nose.

Both ends are angled, which makes it easier to use comfortably. It’s important to clean your skin and the tool with rubbing alcohol before and after each use to prevent the spread of bacteria.